Chiva
by Zellezra
Summary: A home in the wilderness is overrun by the Xenomorphs. An unexpected hero emerges to save a little one’s life. This is the story of their trials. A Predator Fan Fiction.
1. Chiva

**Disclaimer: I do not own the movie(s) that this fanfiction is written for, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story. ****All rights belong to 20th Century Fox and Dark Horse Comics. The storyline as well as all original characters belong to me!  
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**Hello everybody! I'm not entirely new to this site, but this is my first fan fiction posted on here. Read it and tell me what you think about it, good or bad (as long as it's constructive), and then perhaps I'll continue. I hope you enjoy it. Happy reading!**

**OH! And for those of you who aren't as pathetically obsessed as I am, here are a few of the Yautja's own words that I used. The first two I'm confident most fans know, but I'll post them anyway…**

**Yautja: Predator**

**Ooman: Human**

**Chiva: Trial or test**

**Kainde Amedha: Hard Meat (Xenomorphs)**

**Pauk-de: Fucking or fucker.**

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The record kept skipping. The distorted sounds of the canticle were only adding to the lament in the atmosphere and now it mingled with the hysterical cries of a little girl.

They were going to sleep with her tonight; the bloodied bodies that were now splayed helplessly on the floor. She was standing on the foot of the bed, this little thing, waling and screaming.

Husband and wife soaked the lavender carpet below, the dark and horrifying color of their blood slowly turning the floor covering to a disgusting brownish red as it dried.

The room had been sacked, her perfect little haven, with happy colors and trinkets. It was torn and pummeled and blood spattered. Those monsters, those things were something she'd never witnessed in her five innocent years, not even in her worst nightmares.

They were deathly carnal with no regards to any life. Like big dumb beasts; their only instinct was to kill.

This great, black and ugly beast, the biggest of the three came bashing through the front door, each drop of its green blood dissolving parts of the foyer; its tail was missing.

At the sounds of the wreckage and shrilling cries, her parents leapt out of her bedroom for investigation. The couple's own piercing cries were in reply to the display before them. They thundered back to her room, barricading the door with their own frail bodies.

"Baby, hide!" Her mother yelled with that instinctively maternal and protective tone. She didn't though, she'd only leaped like a frog on top of her bed; the safest place in the world. At least at her naïve age it was. Blankets would not save her though.

The door burst in the middle, fragments of wood zooming across the room. In that instant the couple jumped back, scuttling toward the foot of the bed to shield their pride and joy.

There stood the monumental and tailless beast, drooling and bleeding everywhere. Its skin looked leathery and black. Beyond that, its gruesome anatomy was unexplainable to the toddler. She dove beneath the covers while her parents stood brave and tall.

The other two, smaller monsters came through the door. They paused as if something had caught their attention, and a moment later they leapt forward and crashed through the large window over her bed. The little girl screeched and kicked her feet in a tantrum of fear, keeping the covers over her head.

It hissed menacingly as it salivated in their face. The brave woman turned her head to take a look at her husband and child; she knew it would be her last. In the seconds that her eyes lingered on the shivering bulge of quilt behind her, the little girl's father cried out.

A quick gash across the face had gouged his eye out. He doubled over, hands over face, shrieking in absolute agony. The great beast screeched again and threw forward its limbs. His body twitched helplessly as it quickly yanked him off his feet. His wife screamed and so did his baby. In an irrational fit of hysterics, the woman lunged forward, slapping and scratching at the thing. Had she been level-headed she probably would have thought of a more practical way to attack. Its hands stayed clenching the innards of her husband and in the simplest of movements, tilted its head and lanced through her skull with an extended appendage from inside its mouth.

In that instant she silenced and fell like a rag doll to the floor. Her husband could only stare with one good eye in horror at his wife's atrocious demise. It was his turn, he knew, and like his wife, he wanted to see his baby one more time.

"Ama…" He couldn't finish her name. The beast dropped him, suddenly losing interest and the man's insides spilled out on the short descent to the ground.

It fell silent, and the little girl braved peeking out from under the covers. It was facing her, this massive black monster. Her cries were stifled as it came closer. She backed up until she couldn't anymore.

It prepared to hop from the bed to the window and in seconds a light whistling sound approached her from behind and through the window sailed a long and decorated glaive. The weapon hit its black target, but unfortunately it was only broadsided. The force of this throw was immense and thus the glaive was lodged into the wall ahead of her. The thing screeched at its newly wounded side and its acidic blood ate at the carpeting. The creature hurled itself out the window in a cowardice retreat.

So here she stood, frantic over the loss of her family.

The Yautja stepped through the broken entranceway, noting the rut in the foyer as he walked through. The house was hardly silent; the helpless sobs of a little one reverberated through the residence. He followed the noise.

The cries led him to a single room in absolute shambles. He quickly surveyed the area before swapping his infrared vision to that of the human visual spectrum.

The little girl was loud, that was for sure. He approached her and the decibels only elevated. She wasn't just making noise, the elder knew despair when he heard it. "Mommy, daddy!" She wailed. He'd stepped to the side of the bed, avoiding the mess at the foot and reached for her. She hopped and flailed her arms in a fit at his gesture. He knew she just wasn't throwing a fit though. This was body language, and it was screaming; 'don't touch me!'.

He knelt before her now and clicked softly; an empathetic sound. The girl calmed a bit and her lungs settled. She stumbled forward and the Yautja took her into his arms, his large stature dwarfing the child to an extreme. Her breathing was sporadic and she hiccupped before touching his metal face. She thought this person was curious looking indeed. She blinked her tears away and finally he noticed her eyes; they were lavender. It was a wonderful contrast to her short and unruly auburn hair. She looked to her parents and then back to him.

"Will they wake up?" She asked, her tiny voice so innocent and sad. A few seconds passed while the device before his eyes went to work to translate her words. He shook his head and the little girl's frown came back.

Those cries again, they made him wince. She was almost as loud as the Kainde Amedha. The oomans called them Xenomorphs.

Her little body shook with despair in his embrace and he stood to lull her. As he cradled her he made his way to the long weapon and yanked it from the wall with a single negligent tug. The little one sniffled and gurgle against him; she'd exhausted herself with her hysterics.

He stood at the broken archway in the foyer again and paused. He looked to the little girl now passed out in his arms. He could have left her there, he should have left her there; she wasn't his problem. But this house was far away from most other inhabitants. How long would it be until someone found out about the carnage that took place? How long would it be until she was taken into the proper care? Even more so, how long would it be until that pauk-de Kainde Amedha returned to finish its meal? And she was so frail and helpless. He shouldn't have picked her up, because in these few moments holding her, he'd felt her pain and he had bonded with her.

His mind was made up, and when he stepped out of the archway she was still in his arms.


	2. An Adolescent Trial

**Disclaimer: I do not own the movie(s) that this fanfiction is written for, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story. ****All rights belong to 20th Century Fox and Dark Horse Comics. The storyline as well as all original characters belong to me!**

**Okay, second chapter. Just as short as the first one, but hopefully good anyway. Enjoy!**

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The mountain ranges on this planet were vast and high, stretching as far as the eye could see. Most of the landscaping was comprised of trees and marsh. Parts were lush, green and colorful. The wide variety of plants and flowers brought color and vibrancy to the atmosphere. Other parts of the land, the marsh were filled with swamp and willow. Rotted wood, moss and the stale scent of mold overwhelmed the air. Some of the two environments clashed at parts of the land, which of course was a strange contrast to any foreign eye. The rest of the land was overtaken by large mountains and wide meadows. The climate was always humid and warm, so most individuals had little reason to wear more than was absolutely necessary.

The scraggly little girl of five was no more. Fifteen years had passed since then. Her hair was still unruly, but now it spiraled down her back in thick tight ringlets of burgundy locks. Worn over her body mesh was a long and thick strap of brown leather that hooked around the back and crossed over her breasts, tying at the back of her neck. Her abdomen was elegantly chiseled and defined, her elongated torso tastefully shaping into somewhat wide and curvaceous hips. There; a simple loincloth of the same leather covered the necessary areas, long flaps of the covering hung between her legs from the front and back and stopped at her knees. Her legs were perhaps the epitome of her strength. Much of it was equally distributed, but in her trials throughout the years much of her physical exertion was carried out through her lower limbs. Her feet were covered in carefully makeshift leather boots, the leather reached halfway up her calves and folded over. Her combat staff was tucked into a holster that hung at her side.

She didn't wear any armor, but the bio helmet that masked her face was a necessity. The atmosphere on this planet was similar to that of Earth's, but an extra mixture of different gasses turned out to be rather toxic for her human lungs to inhale. When she was little and first set foot on her new home, she would easily fall ill or nauseous after staying outside for too long. It didn't take long for her adoptive kin to figure out why, and because of this she was presented with the same masks the warriors and hunters adorned.

A trench divided the mountains where the girl now stood. She looked up, the gap seeming to travel upward forever. She needed to climb it though, that's where she knew her trial would end. She'd been away from home for three days, using the survivor skills she'd learned from wise females that taught and trained their young. Throughout this arduous journey she'd hunted for game worthy of a confident battle. Her many trophies draped over her shoulder and across her chest, looking decorative and deadly.

She reached overhead toward a crack in the mountainside, preparing to make the long climb to the surface. She paused though; her attuned senses alerting her of a presence. She could smell it; could feel it on her skin. She didn't know what it was, but she knew that it was there; stalking her as she had been stalking it. She knew that she would have to wait for the right moment. She needed to peek, but knew that she couldn't turn around. So she took a deep breath, letting her hunter's instincts take over. She reached out with her senses to feel her environment, and suddenly she instinctively knew where the beast was. It was standing at the entrance to the trench, a mere twenty feet from the sheer face of the mountain that she was trying to climb. It would be quick; she knew the beast would come hard and fast. The girl pulled herself into the mountain, preparing her limbs to spring back, and then she let hang her right leg to entice the beast to come.

The roar was loud and menacing; the mighty beast came at her with a swift quickness that nearly caught her completely off balance. The bait had worked; the beast had charged blindly toward her without a halt or a twitch, straight forward to its prey. But this predator was wrong to think that she would be its prey.

With a quick push off the mountainside, she flipped over the back of the beast, landing on the lightest touch of her toes and drawing her staff in one smooth motion. The beast managed to stop dead in its tracks before crashing into mountainside. She knew she had him! As the great beast turned, she could see now that it was indeed the thousand pound saber wolf that she had been tasked with taking down. The most prized trophy to soon complete her collection.

She bull-rushed ahead, her staff readied. The beast reared up to smash her beneath its claws; she plunged her staff dead through its heart and quickly tore away from it as it began to fall. The beast lay there, its last moments of life seeping away, and she loomed over it, this mighty and great beast conquered, by the likes of an ooman girl.

She climbed the mountainside now, her trophy severed and cleaned; now dangling with the rest of them. Halfway up she had to pause and catch her breath. She might have been raised by the Yautja, but half the time she certainly didn't feel like it.

Her climbing slowed a little bit, she was wearing down, and she was hungry. Though she was more than capable of finding food and keeping herself healthy throughout the journey, today she hadn't eaten. She knew by the dawn of this day that it would only be a matter of hours before she reached the mountain. She cursed herself now though, wishing she'd have at least stopped for some water. No matter now, she was almost done, just a few more yards.

Her hand slapped over the dusty surface of the cliff, and stepping into the last crevice, she hurled herself over the edge and crouched to catch her breath one more time.

A clawed hand reached forward in offering and she peeked up at the Yautja. It was the elder who'd saved her, Ko'tak, the one she'd come to call father after so many years. She smiled up at him and took his hand.

He'd easily helped her up with slightest pull. Once she stood to her full height of five and a half feet, which only reached the Yautja's chest in contrast to his seven and a half feet. Their eyes locked, her looking up and he looking down. After a moment's pause Ko'tak took her shoulder and shook it lightly in a happy greeting. The girl smiled widely and leapt forward to throw her arms around her guardian.

The Yautja hardly flinched, placing a hand over the top of her head as the other patted her back. He trilled softly at her to show his pride for her. She pulled away and he lowered his head and tilted his gaze in a gesture of respect; she thanked him by returning the gesture.

"Anthea," Ko'tak said her name. A Latin word he'd heard long ago during his trials on Earth, it had always stayed inside his memory; the name meant flower. "Be proud this day," he spoke in their native tongue, "for today's trial was your last here. You've triumphed over all and grown into a wise and beautiful young huntress. Soon you will face your hard meat trials and earn the title of a true warrior."

Anthea always knew this day would come, and she'd always been excited to hear her father say these words, but now that he did, all she felt was… anxious. Was it because she was scared of her future trials? No, that wasn't quite it. She was worried about it, yes, but it was a different kind of worry. A kind of… lament.

All those years ago her true parents had perished. She hid under the covers half the time; she only saw a fraction of the gruesome happenings that day. So why did her heart ache all of a sudden? Her mixture of conflicting emotions warred inside of her, and for once she was thankful for the impersonal mask that shielded her unsure expression.

A familiar growl sounded in the distance and Anthea shifted her weight to one side and peered beyond Ko'tak. Another Yautja approached. It was Kro'nha, the son of another Chieftain, whom was her father's best companion.

He approached her confidently and slapped at hand over her shoulder, shaking it lightly in greeting as her father had done. Though he'd been a bit more forceful than Ko'tak and when he lifted his hand she fought the urge to rub her shoulder. She tilted her head in thanks and he saluted the girl with a closed fist to his chest.

Anthea had known him since the day she'd been brought to this planet; she'd grown up with him. Despite his sometimes arrogant humor and sardonic charm, they'd become fast friends and looked after the other ever since.

Ko'tak stepped forward and placed his hand over the young woman's shoulder again, this time a gesture to head out.


	3. The Hidden Pool

**Disclaimer: I do not own the movie(s) that this fanfiction is written for, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story. ****All rights belong to 20th Century Fox and Dark Horse Comics. The storyline as well as all original characters belong to me!**

**Hello everyone! Well, there's not much to say about this chapter, just a few words I thought I'd put down in case you don't know them.**

**Pauk: Fuck  
Naxa: A type of fruit**

**With that said, enjoy!**

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After eating more than her fair share of dinner, Anthea retreated to her room. Meal time was always a social event. Male and female Yautja, typically the young blood would scour the lands hunting for meat, gathering fruits, vegetables, and herbs, then come back with a fair supply to sort, skin and stock. This was usually done on a weekly basis and was helpful training for the adolescents.

The architecture of her home was built out of stone, a native mineral to their planet. Its shade was a dark and mottled mixture of blacks and greens. This clan in particular had a large stone temple-like structure in the center which housed the female, young blood and non hunter or warrior kind. Surrounding this centered structure, were the other homes of the clansmen, ranging in size and shape as compared to their ranking among the clan. The sides of each structure were carved and decorated. The elder Ko'tak's dwelling was the largest and most decorated of the single structures.

Anthea swung her foot off the edge of her bed, leaning back against her palms. She was full now, but she still needed to bathe. She'd removed her things and displayed her trophies. Fortunately the air was breathable indoors.

Every inch of her was covered in dirt and tiny cuts; her hair was tangled and windblown. She knew that she needed to get up, and while her head sank against the pillow she told herself she'd rise in a moment.

The bed sank and she looked up. "Hi…" she mumbled, now sluggishly resting her head against Kro'nha's lap. He only trilled quietly in reply. She touched his knee, her eyes still heavy.

He placed his hand atop her head as he was reminded again how undeniably human she was. He and their elder didn't quite know how to deal with her constant affection at first; it just wasn't an emotion the Yautja displayed very often, if at all. They'd adapted though, their own actions mingling with hers. It should have felt awkward, and in the beginning it did, but not anymore.

"You're filthy." He stated, his hand now touching her shoulder. She only nodded. He twirled a lock of her hair around his finger and looked it over.

"Are you trying to tell me something?" Anthea chuckled.

"I thought my first comment was obvious." He answered simply.

"Guess not." He placed his hand at her head again, the gesture somewhat maternal. "Don't…" She said her tone no longer groggy. Kro'nha quirked his head to the side in question. "It takes away from the illusion."

"What illusion?" He questioned and moved his hand.

"Mine." She answered simply. This only confused him more and his mandibles clicked softly in thought. He prepared to question her again, but her hand tickled its way up his leg and he froze. He couldn't speak if he tried; there was a strange feeling slowly building in his chest that kept him quiet, and when she stopped halfway past his knee he sighed, somehow flustered.

Anthea sat up and stretched her arms. "I suppose I stink." She noted with a grin and looked to her friend. The seconds of silence that passed made him feel silly, because he knew that she was waiting for him to speak. When he didn't she merely chuckled and then stood. "I'll be back in a little bit."

She approached the threshold to her room and the door automatically slid open from the censor above her head. Kro'nha stood to follow shortly behind.

He didn't know exactly where she was going, but as usual Kro'nha took it upon himself to be Anthea's hidden escort from the shadows. Ever since they were young, Kro'nha had watched over her as she was his charge handed down to him by Ko'tak himself. "She is a delicate flower, but a vicious vine." Ko'tak once said. "Watch over her with a careful eye, Kro'nha, and safe guard her when I cannot."

Anthea stepped outside and put her mask into place. She had made up her mind; she would settle for nothing less than a relaxing bath at the hot cove five miles to the east.

The outlook leading up to her destination was primarily jungle. The cove was surrounded by large Naxa trees; the water inside was lined with blossoming berry bushes, creating a nice and private green wall around the shore. The water in the cove was heated by a hot spring that fed into it from underneath. The trip was long, but she was finally here and it was well worth the walk in her opinion.

Anthea tugged at the small air tubes near her temple and she carefully placed her mask at the shoreline; she could breathe the atmosphere well enough without getting sick as long as her heart rate was at ease. She dipped a toe in the water and kicked her foot. The temperature was perfect; warm and soothing.

She reached back and tugged at the knot of her top, taking a single reassuring glance back to make sure she had her privacy. The leather top fell to the ground in a quick heap and a second later she shimmied out of her loincloth.

Back in her room before putting up her trophies she'd removed her body mesh, knowing that it would be too much of a hassle to get out of and back in when she came to bathe, plus she really didn't need it.

Without hesitation she waded in until the water reached her shoulders. She swam across the way after spotting the perfect shallow perch against a long and narrow slab of limestone. She settled against the wall and let her head tilt back, closing her eyes.

Her thoughts led her to the beginning of her day, slowly playing out until she'd reached the top of the cliff, huffing and puffing. Ko'tak was so proud of her. He'd been proud of her in life before, but not like this. This trial was the last leading up to the hard meat trials. Today she'd truly proven herself. From here on it would only be harder, which only meant that the victory would be that much sweeter.

The bushes across from her rustled lightly and her eyes snapped open. She peered at the foliage directly facing her. A few silent and lingering moments passed until she took her focus away. If there was something threatening behind that bush, she thought, it would have jumped her by now.

Anthea looked down, the water was clear as glass, she could see straight through to the aqua colored flooring beneath her. The ripples caught the sunlight and the warm rays touched the bottom, the light dancing around in the water. Today really was perfectly relaxing.

She cupped her hand in the water and raised her palm to the nape her neck, droplets trickling past her collarbone and down her breast. Her free hand ran down her shoulder now, lightly back and forth, smudging off what filth she could. Once that limb was clean, she moved to the other and afterwards drifted forward to completely submerge herself in the warm water.

When she surfaced she threw her head back and squared her shoulders, her breasts lightly shaking. Her soaked hair almost looked black now. Her curls were looser and the sun reflected the dark streaks of burgundy.

She cupped her hands and splashed the water over her face, gently rubbing until she was satisfied. She reached down, blindly running her hands over each leg from toe to hip. Her hands roamed her torso now, and in the next moment they touched her breasts, groping and rubbing ever so gently. She frowned afterward though; they'd felt a bit tender. She hated when her breasts felt this way, knowing what symptoms would follow eventually after.

That rustling again. She twirled around in the water. It wasn't the same bush as before, this rustling was more alert and careless, some of the berries tumbling from their perches and plopping into the water.

There was a low rumble behind the bushes, the obvious sound of a hungry beast. The leaves rustled again and a snout and two large tusks appeared into the clearing. She knew at this point that the possibilities were limited to only one creature; a boar.

She kept still, her eyes locked on the animal. She wouldn't make a move if it didn't. Its nose nuzzled around the ground and then paused. She watched the animal as it sniffed around. It came through the bushes completely now and he lowered its head for a drink. Anthea let out a small sigh, feeling a bit more at ease.

The girl looked herself over. She was more or less clean now and then thought it best to get ready to head back. The sounds of the restless water made the beast pause from its activities to peer ahead. Anthea took no head in the noises, thinking they were made by her.

As she moved toward the opposite shore where her gear lay, the boar ceased its drinking and began to grunt and shake its head, kicking up the dirt, acting as if it considered the human to be a threat. She turned around to watch the animal; suddenly her senses alerted her with an eerie sensation that ran up her spine. Something was behind her, and as cautiously as she could manage, she slowly turned, tilting her head to see what it was. Before she could make her full turn, a large scaly blur came rushing past her, barely missing her by inches, striking the boar.

The serpent violently shook its head until the pig went flying from its fangs; it held no interest for this prey.

She could now see the stalker clearly, and standing thirty feet high out of the water, was a basilisk.

Her heart stopped in her chest as she gawked at the beast of legend; a formidable foe reserved almost exclusively for the greatest of hunters. Her vision blurred and she rubbed her eyes. She placed a hand over her chest and felt her heart pounding. When she was aware of her hearing again, the sound of her breathing was erratic. She looked up at the huge serpent again and found she was dizzy. "Pauk," she mumbled in a mixture of panic and aggravation. She was breathing in too much of the noxious gasses in the atmosphere due to her panic.

The basilisk reared its head back, preparing to strike at her, and as it let loose its furious blow, out from the bushes leapt her watchful guardian. With a somersault through the air, Kro'nha violently plunged his spear into the serpent's head, landing with ease in front of the defenseless girl. The reptile stood frozen and silent for a long moment before finally collapsing, a large wave rippling through the water. The last thing Anthea saw before blacking out was Kro'nha's masked eyes intently staring into hers.

Kro'nha reached out to catch the girl before she sank. As he held her in his arms, he trilled softly and began to carry her to the shore. He settled next to her things and placed her in his lap. The first thing she needed was her mask. He took it quickly and carefully placed it over her unconscious face; she'd come to eventually.

He cradled her head, her hair sopping against his arm. "It will take away from the illusion." Her words echoed in his mind. He remembered her touch, how it was so different from any of the other times she'd touched him.

His gaze traveled from her face to her neck, slowly surveying her body's terrain as his eyes stopped at her breasts. His stare lingered, but he pried his attention away long enough to examine the rest of her. He noted the small patch of hair between her limbs and quirked his head. Female Yautja didn't have pubic hair, at least not to his knowledge; he hadn't mated yet.

He'd known beauty in his own kind, but never in a human. The two races had many similarities, but in those similarities were monumental differences. Not just in their appearance, but in their way of thinking, speaking and acting.

Kro'nha placed his hand on her leg, like she'd done before. What was it in her actions that had him so anxious? His hand slowly traveled up her leg, now resting over her flat stomach. Her skin was very soft, so unlike his own.

For the moment he'd snapped out of it and grabbed her loincloth, slowly and carefully slipping it up her legs and around her waist. He took her top and reached the cloth around her back, preparing to cross it over her chest and fasten it… but he hesitated. Mindlessly he dropped the narrow piece of cloth and touched her breast, his hand resting against her flesh rather than groping. It was more supple than perhaps any other inch of her. He slid his hand away, a clawed index finger vaguely nicking her nipple by mistake. She stirred, turning her head to the side and taking in a deep breath. He wrapped the cloth over her breasts and fastened the ends at the back of her neck.

"Kro…?" She asked groggily. With the slightest of ease Kro'nha stood, taking her with him, cradling her in both arms. He trilled down at her, soothing her as he started the long walk home.


	4. Unexpected Emotions

**Disclaimer: I do not own the movie(s) that this fanfiction is written for, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story. ****All rights belong to 20th Century Fox and Dark Horse Comics. The storyline as well as all original characters belong to me!**

**Hello there everyone. I've realized that my chapters are short and all, and I apologize, but for now it will have to do. Hopefully the quality is good enough to make up for the lack of quantity. :P**

**Hult'ah: Sentry, guard, observer  
Guan: Night  
H'dlak: Fear**

**If there's a word I've left out, please let me know. I kind of posted this in a hurry. Anyway, enjoy!**

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Kro'nha passed through a clearing between vine and moss that ended a quarter of a mile ahead, which then spread out widely to circle the society before him; they were almost home.

Anthea was better, but now she slept comfortably in his arms. He looked down on her as he walked, his thoughts still on what had happened back at the cove. He didn't follow her all the time; he knew that she could take care of herself well enough. But he'd gotten good at recognizing her careless reasoning. He understood her way of thinking; she thought it would be harmless. He shook his head lightly in thought. Through her years of training, she'd been taught to be prepared for any situation, regardless of the circumstances.

The girl stirred in his arms and he held in his breath. This was strange, he thought. He'd always thought of Anthea a certain way in all her years growing up here. Why then, were his feelings suddenly changing, because he'd seen her naked? That was just absurd. Was that really it, though? The thought seemed so childish. Maybe that wasn't all of it, though. Maybe some part of him always felt this way about her. Maybe it only took this incident to fully awaken those buried thoughts. He trilled lightly in a chuckle. That thought was also absurd. His thinking paused for a few steps. The only sounds for the moment were the rustling leaves beneath his moving feet.

He'd just never seen a naked ooman female before. He nodded, confirming his thoughts. For that matter, he hadn't even seen a naked female of his own kind. Not because he hadn't had the chance; he had. The silly thing though was that he hadn't found anyone in particular he'd have enjoyed mating with. Usually, feelings were rarely, if not at all, involved when it came to finding a partner. The act was merely to procreate, nothing more. There had been a select few who felt differently about the matter, but of course, the exception was rare, and he'd never come across any Yautja who felt that way. That way of thinking wasn't shunned, but it wasn't encouraged either. Their kind was typically quite monotone, except of course when it came to pride.

That was it, he thought. It was just because he hadn't seen a naked female before. He just didn't know what to think about it. He was nervous, which was a more than understandable reaction in that situation. That was it…

He was stopped not two steps back into the boundaries of the village. Na'Lyn, a familiar face had quirked her head in question as Kro'nha walked by.

"Hey," she said curiously, pointing a lazy finger at the tired girl in his arms. "What happened?" Kro'nha paused, clenching Anthea lightly while repressing an annoyed sigh. He wanted this walk to be over already, thus his patience was wearing quickly. He turned around to face the hult'ah, preparing to make his story short.

"She was attacked at the cove to the east. She's fine now though, only sleeping. I need to return her to her bed." He prepared to finish his walk, but she spoke again.

"To the east, you say?" Her tone seemed troubled. Kro'nha only nodded. Her mandibles clicked together in regard, seeming to chew over this new information. He noted her concern and quirked his head. "It's just," she started, still thinking. "That place is on the border between our land and Guan H'dlak's. There's been a lot of confrontation as to whose hunting grounds those are. What was she attacked by?"

"A basilisk." He answered simply.

"Did you kill it?" He nodded yes. Na'Lyn looked to Kro'nha, who seemed unfazed by her words. "You're not worried?" She asked in a distressing tone. He rolled his golden eyes.

"Of course I'm worried, I understand all of what you've said, but there is nothing I can do about it. She was in trouble, and I protected her. If the chieftain of clan Guan H'dlak wishes to address this matter to me, then he can. I'll deal with it when it happens." His words were all too composed to her. He finally turned and made his way back to her dwelling. Na'Lyn raised a hand to his retreating back, only to let it fall in defeat.

He carefully laid the sleeping girl into bed, she was worn out. Timidly he reached down to tug away her mask and place it nearby. He tucked a long and unruly lock of hair behind her ear, watching intently as she subconsciously welcomed his touch. He sighed and let his head drop. Maybe he was in denial during his walk. Maybe he did have growing feelings for her.

Ko'tak stepped in, placing his hand over Kro'nha's shoulder. The elder opened his mouth, but his curiosity was taken away when the other Yautja spoke.

"She was bathing in the cove to the east. She let her guard down and was confronted by a basilisk. Anthea was defenseless, so as you instructed, I protected her." There was a hint of disappointment in the younger Yautja's voice. Na'Lyn's words were getting to him. He knew that his actions might cause an uproar before they spoke, but finally telling his elder made his shoulders feel that much heavier.

Ko'tak only nodded, patting Kro'nha's shoulder before taking his hand away. "Come," he said, "let us talk more outside. We will give her a chance to rest quietly."

Anthea was spinning in the dark; she still felt dizzy. Light slowly worked through, shedding her darkness until she eyed the light fixture above with squinting lids. She sat up, quickly at first, until her head spun again. She froze mid-sit, propped up on one hand and pinched the bridge of her nose until she felt better. Once she sat herself up completely, her shoulders dropped in an ugly slouch and she heaved an exhausted sigh.

'Damn it,' She cursed mentally, 'I'm such an idiot.'

It was hazy when she tried to backtrack. It took a moment, too. She closed her eyes and bit her lip, mindlessly fiddling with a fold in the quilt underneath her. She skipped through the events before the boar, right up to the point the enormous serpent came falling into the water. Her eyes closed tighter while her brows furrowed, still chewing at her lip.

She remembered the swift wave that moved her before she went limp. She was stopped short though, before she blacked out. Something caught her. What was it? She continued her concentration until she opened her eyes and suddenly slapped her forehead.

Of course! It was Kro'nha! She'd remembered suddenly how he'd vanquished her scaly threat, swiftly landing in front of her as the wave caught them both when the reptile finally splashed to a landing. That, of course, was not why Anthea was still lightly slapping at her forehead with the hilt of her palm. She was naked then, and now, she was very much clothed.

Her cheeks flushed with heat and color, and now both of her hands covered her mortified expression as she let out a heavy and flustered sigh.

The past few days had left their mark on Anthea in more ways than one; her body had reached a level of exhaustion that she had never known before. Now with this day's events leaving her confused and flustered, she didn't think that any form of rest would come easy. Regardless, she clenched her covers tightly, nuzzled her pillow and let out a bewildered sigh. She was asleep within seconds, finding her escape in the world of dreams, away from large serpents and naked images of herself. But, deep within her dreams she found herself smiling at one thought that had before left her blushing. The memory had come to her; a vulnerable girl lying naked in the arms of her great protector. Not even the blankets or pillow could hide her smile.


	5. Explanations, Anyone?

**Disclaimer: I do not own the movie(s) that this fanfiction is written for, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story. ****All rights belong to 20th Century Fox and Dark Horse Comics. The storyline as well as all original characters belong to me!**

**Hello there, everyone! Well, I hope you're enjoying the story so far; I had a particularly fun time adding to this chapter. I was so sucked into writing it that and pausing every now and then to watch parts of movie, by the time I finished the birds outside were singing to me. Now I'm 'really' tired, but nonetheless happy.**

**Some words for you all… Yawns**

**H'chak: Mercy  
Thwei: Blood (For the sake of the story, when I pair these two words they'll translate as Merciful Blood as opposed to just Mercy and Blood.)**

**And, I know I said so in my previous chapter, but in case you've forgotten and don't want to look back, Guan H'dlak translates as Night Fear.**

**Anyway dears, read and enjoy. And thank you all for your wonderfully observant and supportive opinions. I really do enjoy reading your comments, and honestly they're mostly, if not the only reason I've continued with this story. So again, thank you all, you're wonderful!**

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"The Amaryllis; known botanically as the Hippeastrum, from the Greek hippos which means 'horse'." Anthea read from the tattered human book on Herbology. Her words were soft and articulate. 

Ko'tak decided almost the instant she grew a year older than five, that he didn't want her to lose her humanity by being raised in a civilization so different from her own. Although the Yautja were a very proud race, and were quite far from the savage beasts most humans thought them to be, there was still something inside of the elder that wanted some part of this little girl to stay rooted to the life she would have known, had her parents not met such a gruesome demise. Anthea was his flesh and blood as far as he was concerned, but he suspected that some day, the time would come when Anthea's curiosity for the truth would be overwhelming. He knew it was something he could not avoid, and so when she thought about taking such a voyage, and take it she would, he wanted her to be prepared.

"Amaryllis blooms are huge, trumpet-shaped flowers clustered atop stately long, leafless stems." She continued, her words still delicately spoken. "Members of the Amaryllidaceous family, Amaryllises are at home in the tropics, and are native to South America and Africa."

Off to the side, placed at the top corner of the page was a picture of said flower; the petals were a lively red. Below the picture listed the colors these flowers were found as. She scanned the rest of the page, reading the last bit with all of her attention.

"The meaning behind the name Amaryllis represents splendid beauty, timidity and pride." The final meaning stood out to her, even made her smile. How interesting, she thought, that this flower represented a characteristic she was taught to uphold above all else. Her head quirked to one side as she eyed the picture again; they did stand proudly, she decided. Anthea closed the book and ran her fingers over the indented letters on the cover.

Above all things throughout learning the human language, she loved reading the most. Whether it was a work of fiction, geography, science, history or literature; if there was something more she could learn about the human race, she would take advantage of it with a great deal of delight.

Although Anthea was very much interested in finding out who she was before Ko'tak lovingly took her in, she found it hard to feel much of anything toward the subject. The simple fact was that she was just too young when her first family was taken. She hardly remembered much of anything, which of course was funny, considering the severity of the situation then. Perhaps it was only because it had been blocked out. There had been nights though where vivid and repulsive dreams took over. It wasn't an ongoing occurrence, but it wasn't seldom, either.

She would shoot up in the middle of the night in a drenched and cold sweat. Sometimes her eyes were soaked with subconscious tears, and that intolerable panic stricken feeling in her chest wouldn't go away until she cried a little bit more. It was an old and familiar feeling, the kind of feeling she used to get as a child during her first trials. Hysteria was probably the best way to describe it; child like and unaccompanied by any form of encouragement. She had to find it herself back then. It took her a while, but she'd managed it.

Finding her center in this particular situation was a bit more complicated though, because as soon as she was awake, she could hardly remember the details of what had her so utterly beside herself. It was such a heart wrenching feeling though. The most she could ever remember was a shadowy blur, which of course was somehow the epitome of her despair.

Beyond her dreams though, she had no genuine feelings toward her original family. How could one if they had no memory, anyhow? She was fascinated by everything about her race, yes, but all of her fascination aside, she was completely content with the life that she led today. She couldn't imagine anything different, of having a different life, or father. And frankly when she tried to imagine that, it hurt her even more than those vague dreams ever could have. She was proud to be raised by the Yautja, to be a Yautja. Lost in her reveries, she'd clung to her book, embracing it as if the thing had something to offer. Truth was, her body and mind were in two separate places.

Her thoughts were tossed out finally as her attention was compelled elsewhere. Someone was shouting, someone was very angry indeed. Anthea stood from her seat in the main room of the house, forgetting her book a she dashed out the door. Down below Ko'tak and Kro'nha were confronted by another elder and a handful of Yautja from another clan. She'd forgotten her mask again, but this wouldn't be like the incident at the cove.

In an instant she was beside the only two she cared anything for. She made sure to keep quiet as the elder from another clan was still spouting his angry opinions. This elder was much different from Ko'tak; he looked rough and worn out, like he'd been through more than his share in his life. His irises were crimson; a common shade for most Yautja, but the difference that defined them was the dark shroud that kept his eyes looking dull and listless, angry as he may have been. He was a fraction taller than her father, perhaps a bit older as well. Looks always were deceiving, though. The cloak he adorned was dark with crimson spatters carelessly decorated here and there. Instantly, she realized what clan this was, and a second after she realized the elder held Kro's staff firmly in his angry grip.

The elder locked eyes with the girl and she stared bravely back, as was the least she could do, knowing that this was her fault. There was an awkward silence for a few beats until the footsteps of another Yautja approached. He didn't waste any time in raising his arm to swing forcefully at the girl's delicate face. She fumbled back a step as her head swung to one side, her burgundy hair blanketing a fresh set of gashes across her cheek.

Anthea was indeed surprised by the stranger's actions, but she revealed nothing and firmly held her ground. Ko'tak stepped forward, clearly incensed; something she'd never seen in him before.

"How dare you strike her!" Her elder roared with his mandibles flared.

"She is a worthy opponent!" The stranger only spat hatefully toward Ko'tak.

"Your actions are dishonorable." Ko'tak spoke down to the Yautja, as only an elder could do. This roused the stranger's anger and he raised his arm to strike again. He was quickly stopped short as his elder placed his ornamented weapon in front of him as a sign of warning. The stranger settled quickly and Ko'tak shot his unpleased gaze toward the elder.

This stranger was worse looking than his leader. He had many scars, a chipped tusk, his skin looked chapped and uncared for, and even some of his locks were cut short. He'd seen much, which was safe to assume. His eyes were hateful and bitter, the exact shade of his blood, not to mention.

Kro'nha was silent so far, but Anthea couldn't deny the amount anger he generated. He'd kept still and silent, trying to stay respectful as his actions were the reason they'd come. The very instant she'd been struck though, his stance became overwrought as his arms shook from angrily clenched fists.

"What will you have done to resolve this issue, H'chak Thwei?" The elder spoke the name of Ko'tak's clan with such disdain.

"Syt'ka, please." Ko'tak started, almost exasperated. "Kro'nha has explained the situation more than once. And we have apologized more than once. His intentions were purely justified. That creature attacked my daughter. He had no choice but to defend her. Kro'nha was merely fulfilling his duty to me as her protector, and honorably I might add."

Syt'ka, the elder of clan Guan H'dlak, took a small step forward, still scowling with unblinking eyes. Ko'tak let the other Yautja scrutinize him; it didn't faze him in the least.

At this point Anthea had stepped forward, breaking the hostile eye contact between the two elders. She faced Syt'ka, standing tall and unafraid. She would take any punishment he had to offer. No matter what Kro thought, this truly was her fault.

The three gashes across her cheek bled well, a trail spilling its way past her chin and down her throat. Her state seemed to bring the elder pleasure, but what pleased him more was her watery eye. The tear finally spilled and painfully stung her first cut. Again, she showed no signs of pain; she'd been taught well how to save face. Still, the elder was pleased; tears showed weakness, and in her weakness he had grown smug. Had he been more perceptive, he would have realized that her tear was not of sadness or shame, but only because his underling had cut her so close under her eye that it was merely a bodily reaction for it to well up. Not to mention that that should have plainly been given away by the fact that her other eye was completely unquenched. Her pain seemed to be enough for him though.

"Kill any of our game again, and next time we will settle this dispute with a battle do the death." He looked to both Anthea and Kro'nha, deliberately avoiding sight of Ko'tak; another sign of impudence. The elder carelessly tossed Kro's weapon at his feat and turned on his heal. For yet another awkward moment, the impulsive Yautja who'd struck her stared her down, his stance tense and ready give a beating. "Come, Tal'lik!" It took him a moment, but he snapped to attention and soon caught up with his elder.

As soon as the insufferable clan was gone Kro'nha left his place and cradled Anthea's face in his hands, carefully inspecting Tal'lik's work. She pursed her lips as he looked her over. He held her face so gently, as if she would break if he touched her any other way. His soft golden eyes probed her with unmasked concern, and somehow it gave her the most pleasantly flustered sensation in the very pit of her stomach. In their silent trance the two unknowingly and very slowly closed the distance separating them. Her hands rested loosely at his wrists and suddenly her heartbeat echoed loudly in her ears.

Ko'tak, whose presence they'd grown utterly oblivious of, cocked an amused brow with folded arms as he watched the scene unfold before him. If he hadn't been paying attention he would have ruined the whole thing by laughing in irony. How fateful this situation was, and yet he hadn't suspected it, even though he knew now that he should have. The pairing seemed perfect, he thought; he couldn't have chosen a better companion for his dear little one. Kro'nha was as much a son to him as Anthea was his daughter.

'But', he thought as he placed his hand over the surprised girl's shoulder, he wouldn't let this romance bloom too rapidly. Kro'nha awkwardly cleared his throat and stepped back to regain his composure. Ko'tak brushed Anthea's hair away from her wound with a doting manner all parents conspicuously showed.

"I'm sorry darling one," he said happily, which of course had the girl quirking her head. "Let us go dress that wound."

As the trio made their way back to the house, Anthea found she was curious and confused as ever. Her father was always composed and straight-faced, and although his outburst was more than understandable, what she couldn't understand was how his mood completely turned a corner. And what did he have to be overjoyed about? Whatever it was though, she enjoyed seeing him happy.


	6. Everyone Needs Rescuing

**Disclaimer: I do not own the movie(s) that this fanfiction is written for, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story. ****All rights belong to 20th Century Fox and Dark Horse Comics. The storyline as well as all original characters belong to me!**

**Hello there people! Here's another chapter. Short, yes, but I'm thinking I like these small intervals, keeps me paced. Hope it doesn't bother you all too much. :P**

**Word of the day!**

**Lou-dte Kalei: Child maker (female Yautja, male insult)**

**I think there are a few typos in this one that I didn't catch, and for that I'm sorry, but yeah, I'll go over things again in the future. Happy reading!**

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Anthea plucked a ripe piece of fruit from the naxa tree and tossed it fifty feet down below. Kro'nha effortlessly caught the naxa, wasting no time in taking a bite afterward. He looked up as he chewed, observing her as she crouched on her perch with one leg dangling playfully over the edge. Her mask sat beside her as she ate. Two weeks had passed since their encounter with clan Guan H'dlak, and her little injury had healed up quite nicely. It had been tended to quickly enough, and their medicinal knowledge was so advanced that now there was no proof whatsoever that she'd been assaulted. 

"I don't like how much you neglect your mask." Kro'nha plainly stated and took another bite of the fruit. She knew he was right; she probably did neglect her mask more than she should have, and lately it was a habit that seemed to get her into trouble. She took one more bite of her food before speaking again with a teasing grin.

"What Kro, are you worried that I'll pass out again and fall helplessly into your arms?" She asked with flirtatious sarcasm as she swooned dramatically with the back of her hand against her brow.

"No," Kro'nha began calmly after finishing his bite. "Only that you'll be naked." His blurted thoughtlessly.

"W-what?" She stammered and suddenly lost her grip from the branch, plummeting from her spot. Kro'nha dropped his fruit and he darted forward to catch her. Anthea landed directly into his arms, her heart was pounding furiously in her chest. Her mind was elsewhere though; she didn't give a second thought to nearly crashing to her doom. "You saw me naked?!" She shouted. Kro'nha's complexion instantly turned from its usual yellowish complexion to an almost orange; the sign of an embarrassed and quite possibly flustered Yautja warrior. In that instant he negligently dropped his arms and she fell flat on her back.

Anthea cursed under her breath as she sat up, rubbing at her lower back. She scowled toward Kro'nha's retreating back and she quickly stood.

"Hey!" She shouted down at him with fueled upset. "I asked you a question! Come back here!" When he didn't stop she marched toward him until she snatched his shoulder and spun him around to face her. His expression was stern and had her helplessly silenced. His gaze softened once he touched her cheek. His other hand ran freely through her long curly tendrils. She lost herself again like before, placing her hands over his forearm and turning her face to hide her lips in his palm. His other hand fell from her thick burgundy hair to the small of her back, gingerly tugging her forward. That delightfully flustered feeling overwhelmed her senses again as her body pressed against his. "Kro…" She whispered breathlessly as gold met lavender, the couple's gaze both terrified and courageous.

A bewildered scream cut through their silence and the couple jumped to attention like frightened mice.

The voice was obviously that of a youngling, and instantly their hunter's instincts took over.

"Get your mask." Kro'nha told her before they both set out in pursuit of the distressed call. A short distance along the way they'd discovered the location of the victim's voice.

Stately placed in the branch of a tree was a fully grown feral wolf. Unlike the kind displayed in Ooman books, this wolf was nearly twice in size. The thick needle-like bristles of fur lining down the animal's spine raised on end as it looked ready to pounce for a meal. This seemed like a silly notion considering the dire creature already had its prey dangling from its frothing jaws.

The little female Yautja wriggled from her spot hanging over the high branch, the animal suspended the poor thing by her long locks. She was far too young to even be outside of her village, let alone starting her first trial.

As both Anthea and Kro'nha stood ready with weapons bared, she quickly realized why the animal arched its shoulders; it was going to run. She clenched her staff while readying a balanced position as she kept her eyes locked on the animal. Kro'nha noted her actions and briefly glanced at her through his mask.

"Anthea, don't," he whispered to her gravely, "you'll risk hitting her." She glanced back at him through her own mask, only for a second and easily disregarding his words. "Anthea!" His whisper turned into a hiss, and this time she looked back at him, though keeping her posture so the animal felt intimidated enough to stay still. Kro'nha shook his head. Slowly she turned her gaze back to the animal as it growled ferociously at the couple. The little one wriggled again and squealed defiantly. The wolf's hind legs reared and she knew it was going to jump clean over their heads. This was her chance! Her plan was good. Well, considering the fact that it was the only plan she had at the moment other than blindly charging up the tree like a dolt.

It jumped finally and Anthea crouched down, her weapon just waiting to strike. Kro'nha cursed under his breath as she readied her attack. He took a hasty step forward, but just as hastily stopped himself, knowing that she was going to move before he got to her; he couldn't increase the likeliness of her missing.

It soared over their heads, its underbelly shamelessly exposed as its legs sprawled out. The little one screamed yet again, writhing against the wolf's clenched grip. In the midst of the air this predator lost its equilibrium and faltered.

Anthea leapt upward, thrusting her staff heavenward with all her might. The animal howled miserably as the female hunter hit her target dead in the heart. The young Yautja tumbled from the animal's mouth and Kro'nha jumped from his frozen place and caught her easily.

The beast fell dead to the ground and Anthea yanked her staff from its chest. She turned around to face her friend as he scowled at her through his mask. She definitely didn't need him to remove his mask to know that he was upset with her. She sheathed her weapon and placed her hands on her hips, arrogantly shrugging her shoulders. "It worked, didn't it?" She asked him honestly. Kro'nha rolled his eyes and gently placed the child on her feet. Anthea knelt before the child and touched her shoulder. "Are you all right?" The little one nodded as she tried to compose herself. This gave the older woman a smile as she asked her next question. "What clan are you from?"

"Guan H'dlak." She answered simply up at her. Anthea suppressed rolling her eyes as she looked up at Kro'nha who jerked his shoulder in a gesture of irony.

"Who'da thought…" Anthea replied sardonically. This only made the little one tilt her head to the side in confusion.

As they neared the youngling's village Anthea weighed the pros and cons. It was a good thing that they'd found the girl in their territory, and maybe this would put H'chak Thwei in good light with Guan H'dlak, but then again, their chieftain had such a hostile attitude. He was probably just looking for an excuse to cut her head off.

Kro'nha could nearly hear the wheels in her head turning as they all silently approached their destination. They'd both removed their masks just a moment ago, and he could see that she wasn't hiding her worry. He stopped her in her tracks to place a reassuring hand over her shoulder. She looked up at him, realizing why he'd stopped her and hurried to stifle her emotions.

"Breathe." Kro'nha said to her. "This is a good thing." Anthea nodded quickly and took a deep breath. The little one tugged at the older Yautja's hand in impatience and they continued.

Syt'ka stared down at the couple from two weeks prior with his normal intimidating scowl. That Ooman girl stared back at him like before, shameless and unafraid. For the life of him, he couldn't understand why Ko'tak had to take her in and raise her among their kind. This heathen girl even thought she was qualified as one of their kind. She may have been taught their ways, but she was still just as frail and vulnerable as the next soft meat.

Still, he sighed inwardly as the little Yautja approached him, she did do a good deed. It was a commendable action considering how indecent they were toward their clan. He may not have liked the fact that his former friend had raised an outsider, but both she and her partner did perform a good act, and it was more than enough to atone for the mistake they'd made with the basilisk.

"Ni'la'naya, go find your mother." He said in a tone Anthea hadn't suspected in him and watched him gently pat her head. The little one nodded obediently and turned to bow graciously to her saviors before running off.

Syt'ka clapped a fist over his chest respectfully and tilted his head to the couple. He still looked hateful, Anthea thought, but at least he was being civilized. Perhaps she'd been quick to judge him before. Both she and Kro'nha returned the elder's gesture.  
"You bring honor to your clan. Go with pride and know that all is forgiven." His tone was still gruff, but his words were sincere. She and Kro tilted their heads in one more solemn bow before turning to leave.

Tal'lik approached his elder's side with folded arms as he watched the couple leave. "You've forgiven them?" He asked resentfully, staring forward at the retreating pair. Syt'ka simply nodded. "Why?" He pressed on even though he knew the answer. The elder remained silent as his underling impatiently waited for an answer. "You detest that heathen little outsider just as much as I do! So why do you forgive them?" He demanded, arms unfolded now as he faced his senior. Syt'ka turned to face the angry Yautja. He folded his own arms this time and shot him a glare. Tal'lik wasn't perturbed by his eye contact. He was stupid to be unafraid, he knew, but his anger and hatred clouded most of his rational thinking.

"They are good people." Syt'ka spoke truthfully, regardless of his xenophobic ideals.

"Don't give me that, Syt'ka! You're such a hypocrite!" The elder growled down at his fuming partner and roughly yanked him off his feet by the scruff of his cloak.

"Speak more, Tal'lik, if you wish to lose your tongue!" The war torn Yautja only glared back at his elder, knowing full well that he wouldn't go so far. The elder owed him everything. Over the years Tal'lik had risked his life for his superior more times than he'd cared to think about.

The trip so far was quiet. They weren't heading back to the village yet, and so they had no general direction to go to but away from the other clan's territory.

"So, are we going to talk about this?" Anthea asked honestly, her tone of voice soft and curious. There were a few steps of silence before she got a response.

"There's nothing to talk about."

Elsewhere, a certain old Yautja warrior was fueling his own fire of hate. In his private quarters, Tal'lik fumed with furious hatred for this soft skinned Lou-dte Kalei.

"We are owed blood. This Ooman has lived among our people for long enough. Her presence is like a disease, and this disease needs to be wiped out. She 'will' die." Tal'lik gathered his equipment and left Guan H'dlak village with the hatred burning in his heart as his only means of motivation.


	7. Bad Blood

**Disclaimer: I do not own the movie(s) that this fanfiction is written for, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story. ****All rights belong to 20th Century Fox and Dark Horse Comics. The storyline as well as all original characters belong to me!**

**Hello there darlings. I'd just like to take a moment to put my thoughts about this chapter down.**

**I know that my grammar can be a little congested at times, but I really hope it doesn't take away from the story. I tried my best for this chapter to be exciting. In this excerpt I was aiming for my readers to go wild, like when J.F.K. accidentally told the Germans that he was a donut. You remember that? They just went crazy! Of course, we all know that's not what he was 'trying' to say, but at least he got a good reaction. :P**

**Thank you all for continuing to read, you're truly wonderful. Muse of Scrolls, shortestwarrior, Keen and Lord Zain, you guys are absolutely amazing and I'm really touched that you're still reading and reviewing. Thank you Fadaway Blonde for your advice, and thank you OrangePeelings and Death God Dist for your encouragement. **

**Words for you!**

**Ell-osde: You  
S'yuit-de: Coward, pathetic, low and demeaning description  
Lou-dte Kalei: Child maker (female Yautja, male insult)  
Pauk-de: Fucking or fucker (just in case you didn't want to look back if you forgot)**

**Remember everyone; Ich bin ein Berliner!**

**Enjoy!**

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"There's nothing to talk about…" Anthea mocked under her breath while the cold water from the cliff caressed her parched skin. When her hair was dry it reached to the small of her back, now that it was wet the tips reached just past her buttocks. She swept her hair over one shoulder and worked her fingers through the wet tangles with frustration. "You're so stupid, Kro." She mumbled again, still untangling her hair. 

Her things were all set on top a dry surface near the waterfall. She didn't have to worry about anything disturbing her bath this time; she and Kro had scouted the area before they split ways. Kro'nha only told her to be careful before he disappeared back into the clutter of trees and greenery.

He was just as pleased as she was at hearing Syt'ka's words of truce. Why did his mood turn so sour from her question? Wasn't this new development a good thing? She leaned her head back and let the water trickle over her face. Maybe it wasn't a good thing…

She'd obviously struck a nerve when she opened her mouth earlier. It worried her now; she didn't want him to hate her. Why 'had' he gotten angry, though? He was the one who'd awoken these feelings within her, both times! It was all his fault. If it wasn't for what he'd started, she'd never started feeling this way.

Once her hair was clean and untangled, she tossed it back over her shoulder and slowly ran her hands over her breasts and down her belly. Ah, the water was so relaxing. Her hands stopped at her thighs and a light in her mind suddenly turned on.

The day after her final adolescent trial, Kro sat with her in bed. She remembered the way she touched his leg and the words that came shortly after.

"My illusion?" She whined quietly under the water. What kind of illusion was that to begin with anyway? She obviously hadn't realized how her feelings were changing until just lately, so why did she say such a thing back then when such feelings were still so deeply buried? Was it her subconscious? Maybe because she was so sleepy then…

Kro'nha stood a good distance away from the waterfall. He tossed the remains of the naxa to the ground as he leaned against the trunk of a large tree. He watched Anthea from where she stood, not saying a word. Watching her hands run down her delicate frame made his body respond in a shiver of anticipation. This feeling inside of him was new, he didn't quite know what to do with himself, but his limbs were already slowly prowling forward. He clenched his fists before putting his mask on. Back at the cove he didn't have time to watch her as he did now.

Seeing the cold water tumble across her naked body only teased his senses, so much so that he was nearly unaware to the fact that he was still moving forward, slowly but surely.

Greenery rustled in the distance and Anthea snapped her head in the direction of the noise. She wrapped her arms around her breasts as her heartbeat quickened. She peered ahead but saw nothing. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly before she reassured herself. There was nothing out there this time; she'd double checked. This was just her imagination taking over now. The low rumble of a voice sounded in the distance and her posture stiffened, her arms tightening over her breasts. The sound actually frightened her, not necessarily because it was scary, but because it was a tone she hadn't heard before. It sounded primal and somehow ardent; a very intimidating sound.

His cloaking device concealed his position as he saw her snap to attention. His excitement overwhelmed him as he saw the small glint of fear in her eyes. He consciously stalked around the water, circling his prey with a new kind of hunger. The hunter within him took him over quickly, that ultimate thrill boiling his blood and overriding his system as he excitedly watched the apprehensive girl try to detect her prowler.

She was being stalked, she could feel it. Her aura felt completely invaded, and she wasn't sure yet if this presence was something dangerous or…! Anthea's eyes widened at this new realization. Was it Kro? She was still worried, but somehow, the notion of his presence brought her an abrupt and wild excitement. Was he really watching her?

Slowly, she unfolded her arms and let them drop to her sides. The water still hit her, and now she leaned her head back and trailed her fingers up her stomach. She rang out her hair before swiping it over her shoulder like earlier, acting as if all was well again. For that split second she was stopped by cold feet. She took deep and panicked breaths, her chest visibly heaving as her mind raced. She'd never been so bold in her life. Should she really continue?

Kro'nha sucked in a breath, holding it for the moment until she finally laid her hands over her bare breasts. He let out a low and steady rumble, pleased with what he saw. She groped her breasts for a moment before letting her hands roam lower. Oh, she knew he was there. She was blatantly enticing him; an unspoken persuasion to come forth.

Anthea still couldn't see him, but she definitely heard his enthusiastic response. It excited her more than anything now, some untamed part of herself keeping this game of cat and mouse going. She could hear the small splashes the shallow water gave as he stepped forward and her heart pounded. Where was he? She turned around to catch a glimpse of him, but he was nowhere to be found.

Anthea gasped in surprise as her wrist was seized and brought behind her back. She tilted her head back and watched as the cloaking device slowly malfunctioned from the water until he was visible. With his free hand, he touched her flat stomach and violently pulled her back. Her back crashed against his chest and while both her wrists were bound by his overpowering grip, her naturally terrified and instinctively fervent sides fought for dominance.

He could easily hear her heartbeat racing and he keenly watched her ample breasts heave with every eager breath she took. She defiantly jerked against his grip and he tightened his right hand around her coupled wrists. The tips of his claws slowly trailed their way up her stomach; stopping at the body parts he eyed the most. He drew lazy circles around her erect nipple and she bit her lip. He brazenly nicked her sensitive flesh and the girl whimpered, leaning her head against his chest with tightly closed eyes. She was suddenly giving off a new scent, one that overwhelmed his senses and brought about a scent of his own.

Her nipple dribbled lightly from her fresh cut, the tiny trail of crimson quickly washing away with the flowing water. The pain excited her, even more so the fact that he caused it. The sweet scent of musk filled her nostrils that moment, and she knew what it was. Finally he touched her breast, groping her forcefully, though not enough to hurt her. She moaned and arched her back against him, that musk still overwhelming her senses and exciting her even more.

Kro'nha couldn't hide his excitement any longer as her back moved against his erect member. Her bound hands reached back to touch his stomach and his grip loosened a bit. Her delicate hands found what they were looking for and his knees nearly buckled from the sensation she started to give him. He let go of her hands and reached for her other breast, now messaging them both. He trilled softly in her ear while her hands moved fluidly against him.

Anthea reveled in her actions, but what would be better now, she thought, was if his loincloth was removed. That's right, she remembered. He was still fully clothed, wasn't he? She prepared to turn but he stopped her, his right hand now traveling past her stomach to rest between her legs. That familiar feeling she'd experienced so many times before quickly amplified and filled her gut. Her cheeks burned with color before he even twitched a finger.

His middle finger caressed her inner thigh before pressing lightly past her lips to her warm and moist sex. She moaned louder than before, her grip against his erection tightening lightly which produced an interesting reaction of his own.

"Kro…" Her voice was helplessly pleading and it was obvious what she wanted. He trilled softly in her ear, almost egging her on. The way she spoke his name nearly drove him over the edge. He wanted to make her say it again. Kro'nha gently teased the small fleshy knot with the tip of the same finger and the girl nearly lost all strength in her limbs. "Kro'nha!" Her pleading tone was much more eager now and he decided to finally end her torture.

Anthea's fingers found the waist of Kro'nha's loincloth and his motions to please her slowed. He looked away from her for a split second, suddenly feeling ill at ease. The girl turned around to look up at his masked face.

"I want to see your face, Kro." She spoke gently. His hands rested over her shoulders now, and even though he was looking straight at her, he didn't hear what she said. She was still in the moment and hadn't taken this as strange. Anthea carefully tugged at the leather ties that held his loincloth together and a second before she'd undone the first elaborate knot, he stopped her. The female hunter eyed him curiously and with a bit of concern.

"What's wrong?" She wondered and placed her hands on his chest. He gently took her hands in his and placed them back at her sides. She was truly puzzled now, and she subconsciously quirked her head in question.

"We shouldn't be doing this." Kro'nha finally answered without emotion.

"What do you mean?" Her features slowly became vexed.

"… I can't." He said, sounding nearly as surprised as she was. Before she posed her next obvious question, he continued. "I have a responsibility to Ko'tak. My duty is to protect and watch over you. I'm supposed to be your guardian, not your mate." His tone was lucid and detached as he made his explanation. "Besides," he went on, "I am Yautja and you are O--"

"I'm what?" Anthea nearly shouted. "Ooman? I am every bit as Yautja as you are, and the only difference that stops you is the shade of my skin and the features on my face!" The angry girl marched over to her things and quickly slithered into her wire mesh. Kro'nha cast his eyes to the side as she finished dressing. She carelessly bound her hair and snapped her wrist blades over her forearm, tucking her staff and mask away. She marched back over to the Yautja and pushed him back a step. "Am I too soft for you, Kro'nha? Are you afraid you'll break me in half?" She was fuming now. He tried to defend himself but she wasn't finished yet.

They walked quickly through the trees, Kro'nha stomping angrily ahead of the girl that pestered him from behind.

"If I recall correctly, 'you' pursued 'me'!" She shouted at his back. He stopped suddenly and spun around. He invaded her space as he approached her and she took one incensed step back.

He growled at her in warning, flaring his mandibles behind his mask. She firmly held her place on front of him.

"Don't think you can scare me with that growl! You stalked me, you touched me, you caressed me, and you held me against you. I could 'feel' you. So what the pauk am I supposed to think?! This is all your fault you brute!"

"You made your intentions known to me long before I fell…" Her eyes widened as she speculated and found she was eager for him to finish his words.

"What?" She asked impatiently. "Say it, damn it!" He fell silent again and she clenched her fists at her sides.

"Why won't you tell me anything?!" Her anger echoed through the trees. "Be truthful to me! Tell me the real reason behind your hesitance! Why won't you let me in? I know it's not all because of what father expects of you!" Kro'nha took a deep breath to steady his temper but it wasn't helping. After a few moments of congested silence Anthea pursed her lips as she felt her eyes well. "You haven't even taken your mask off this entire time. Look at me!" The desperation in her final words almost had him reaching to his face, but he stayed still. His mandibles clicked now and then in much regard and thought. How could he make her understand? This was a box that should not have been opened.

She rapidly blinked away her tears and threw her hands up to distract him from her face. "Fine…" she surrendered as she lowered her head to cover her face. Breathing in the oxygen her mask produced made her lungs feel less constricted but did nothing for her emotions. She eyed him through her infrared and cried freely and soundlessly. Anthea found their closeness to be stifling now and she took a few sizable steps back to breathe.

His heart sank at all of this. He wouldn't let her know though; he wouldn't give away a thing. It was easy to falsify his expressions as this was something he'd been raised to do. But right now, for the first time in his life, saving face was difficult. He had to make her understand why this couldn't be. Kro'nha turned his back to her and slowly took a step.

Her tears streamed as she watched him slowly leave her. 'Damn it…' She thought, the voice in her mind as distressed as she was. 'I just want him to look at me!' "Kro wait, please." She begged as her voice cracked. She reached forward and took a small step forward.

He kept his back to her and purposefully ignored her plea. The leaves in the high trees rustled noisily and the sound of dead weight crashing to the earth forced him to look back. Something shimmered in her face and a familiar but haunting voice spoke to her. "I'm here for you, my sweet." As soon as the sentence was finished an uncloaked Tal'lik stood before her. Before she could make a move, the Yautja's staff smashed against her face and sent her to floor. Sooner than Kro'nha could think, Tal'lik kicked at his chin which hurled Kro backward, and as he crashed to a landing the earth gave way beneath him.

Tal'lik hovered over the edge of the cavity in the earth, he was a good sixty feet above Kro who now struggled to his feet. "I'm sorry for the inconvenience," The hateful warrior said casually, "My pet will keep you company though. In the mean time, I have a date." Kro'nha growled at his retreating enemy but silenced as another growl accompanied him from behind.

The black and gray striped tiger reached the Yautja's shoulders in height. Its hollow white eyes stared at him hungrily and the feline licked its chops. "Dumb beast," Kro'nha said confidently, "you don't know what you're in for." He bared his wrist blades and poised himself for attack. Anthea's desperate and panicked scream stripped him of all concentration and he looked to the surface, something in him suddenly frantic. He forgot the threat behind him and hurried to scale the wall of earth and root. The soil was too loose though and he quickly fell to the bottom with a thud and the animal immediately pounced at the panicked young blood.

Kro'nha rolled away quickly and caught the jaws of the mighty cat with one hand at the top jaw and the other at the bottom to keep the animal from biting his face. The tiger pushed down on Kro'nha with all its strength, digging its claws deep into the earth for leverage. Kro'nha knew this would be over very quickly if he could not regain his footing.

"Ell-osde pauk-de s'yuit-de Lou-dte Kalei!" Tal'lik snarled as he marched over to his victim. The ringing in Anthea's ears nearly drowned out the Yautja's scathing insult. She slowly rose to all fours and tried to still her spinning vision.

"On all fours, like a mutt." He snarled. "Perhaps I should treat you like the bitch you are." He finished his statement as he grasped his loincloth. Panic was the only emotion that graced Anthea's hidden face as she eyed his vulgar gesture. Tal'lik reached down with a grasping hand, Anthea went to kick him in the midsection but Tal'lik caught her ankle and raised her off the ground. "Haha, kicking at me like a child!" Tal'lik spun the girl around in a circle and slammed her into the trunk of a nearby tree, stealing what little breath she could muster. "Pathetic!" He grabbed Anthea's burgundy locks and snapped her head back, wasting no time in incessantly pummeling her into silence.

The great feline had the young blood pinned, no matter what Kro'nha could think to do, no matter what he tried; he couldn't push the cat back. All was seemed to be gradually slipping away from him; thoughts of him and Anthea together, thoughts of a memorable return from their hard meat trials, thoughts of him possibly getting the chance to be close to her again. All seemed to be drowning in this black hole of teeth and claws. He could hear from high above a loud bash against a tree, and the breathless scream of a young girl.

The fumes of emotion in his heart, the confusion over what was love and what was lust was all narrowed into the spark of a great inferno which brought forth a rage, a primal rage and Kro'nha pushed the cat back with his legs, the tiger crashed against the wall. From his back, he kicked his legs out and flipped onto his feet. Kro'nha extended his wrist blades and roared louder than anything the enormous cat or its vindictive master had ever heard before.

The tiger landed on its feet from the wall and crouched down for a final pounce, and all at once the tiger and the young blood lashed out at each other in a grand leap. Using every bit of anger and rage, he threw his wrist blades into the cat. His mandibles flared in blind fury and his roar drowned the gruesome sound of shattering bones and a gurgling whimper.

The girl was limp and battered beneath him now, her mask cracked from his final blow, and a chunk of her faceplate from forehead to cheekbone fell to the forest floor, but he wouldn't let it end here. He reached down and ferociously clenched her windpipe to drag her across the way. Anthea feebly grasped his forearm, choking as she struggled for air. She sank into the hole her partner fell into but was held suspended over the edge.

"Look at her, Kro'nha!" He shouted down the hole. Kro'nha shot his gaze heavenward and his golden eyes widened in utter shock. Anthea's still and battered frame dangled vulnerably from his powerful grip. "I'll deal with you once I'm done stripping the flesh from her bones." He teased with a sadistic enthusiasm in his voice. Tal'lik's grip tightened around her throat and she suddenly writhed and thrashed against him, her suffocated sniveling reverberating in Kro's ears. Her skin paled as her struggling began to diminish.

"Anthea!" Kro'nha cried her name as he reached for her. "Fight!" He now roared to her in command as he found himself out of options. Tal'lik grinned and touched her lower abdomen with his wrist blades, drawing a fresh trail of blood as he worked the tips to her ribcage.

"I don't think she can hear you." He pointed out and then shrugged. "Oh well, she is Ooman, after all." Kro growled up at him and discreetly reached into his wristband.

"You underestimate her, bad blood. It will be your undoing." He scathed and then thrust his arm at the other Yautja. The silver glint of a small blade soared through the air and swiped through a lock of the warrior's hair as he dodged the weapon. In his distraction Anthea's eyes shot open and she thrust her wrist blades into his gut as hard as her strength would allow.

Tal'lik howled in excruciating agony and fell back, taking the girl with him. Anthea yanked her blades from his gut as soon as his vice-like grip on her throat lessened. She gasped like she'd never taken a breath in her life, coughing on her way to her feet.  
Kro lost sight of the two when they fell away and anxiously looked for any signs of movement. The battered girl staggered over to the trap and sank to her knees, peering over the edge for Kro'nha.

"What are you doing?!" He shouted up at her, all of his self control gone. "Run!!" She hurried back to her feet, groaning in reaction to the pain in her stomach.

"Please Kro'nha," she sobbed painfully, "stay safe." And she ran. His fists trembled with a mixture of unbridled emotions, he was so angry he could hardly see straight. Kro'nha crouched down as he looked up, harnessing all of his strength to his limbs. With a grunt and a powerful thrust of his legs he hurled himself up, just barely reaching the surface of the opening. He thrust his claws and toes into the earth, refusing to let himself slip as he climbed swiftly over the top.

He jumped to his feet and scoured the area for Tal'lik, but he was gone. The screen before his eyes locked onto a familiar heat signature. 'Thank you Paya,' he thought with relief. 'Her trail hasn't run cold.' His head quirked to one side as something in the grass caught his attention. He got closer and all over again, he was worried. 'No…' He picked up a shard of Anthea's mask, tiny crimson spots scattered across the metal. He quickly tucked it away and sprinted in the direction she'd left.

Anthea found herself back at the cliff, slumped against a bolder behind the falling water. Her gasps were sporadic and gluttonous; her throat still ached from inside and out. The sheer will to stay alive kept her from giving up. A single drop of water fell from above and plopped against one of the two large lacerations across her stomach and she arched her back with an indignant hiss. Her wounds were bleeding heavily and she was losing strength, but she couldn't rest just yet.

"There's no use in hiding, girl." Tal'lik called to her from outside of the falls, knowing exactly where she hid. He cackled as a thought came to light. "So your true human nature finally comes out, does it not?" For once he didn't use the slang term for her kind. "I suppose you can't help it though, can you?" His tone of voice was deliberately impertinent and self-righteous. "Maybe after I kill you and your friend, I'll teach that elder of yours a lesson and mount your heads on my wall."

If he was looking for a nerve to strike in the girl, he hit every last one. She forced herself to her feet and faced the flowing water before her. Tal'lik was on the other side, simply waiting. Anthea yanked her staff from the holster and the ends extended before she sounded a drawn out and livid war cry.

Tal'lik smirked, knowing he'd baited her perfectly. "Challenge accepted." He mumbled to himself.

Appearing downstream a few hundred yards away, Syt'ka came into the clearing. On the other side of the river, he saw a familiar face in Ko'tak, who apparently was running in the same direction. Syt'ka quickly caught up to his old friend and they stopped as they saw the two engaged in combat.

"I gave no command for such an action, Ko'tak. Your daughter and Kro'nha repaid their debt to my clan by returning a young child that had been snatched by a wolf. Tal'lik has gone against my words, he has tarnished his blood."

Ko'tak could barely hear Syt'ka's words over the concerns that were mounting in his mind.

Their staves rang out with each hit, filling all the forest with the cries of combat. She came at him with all she could, striking with her staff, planting it and swinging from her weapon before kicking him in the chest. Tal'lik smoothly countered and parried her blows, but when the young blood used her staff and spun around it with such momentum; he could in no way hope to block such a devastating blow, and was forcefully hurled back up the waterfall. She leaped at him again and growled in an instinctively primal manner. They traded blows as they fought their way to the top of the falls. One hundred fifty feet they fought, up the rocks and the water. Finally reaching a large bolder in the center of the falls that was wide and flat.

Finally catching up and standing at the base of the falls, Kro'nha stood gaping and breathless at the display above him. Never before had he seen Anthea fight with such fury, move with such fine agility; now he saw a glimmer of hope that his love could conquer this bad blood.

Tal'lik laughed menacingly. "I get it; you think you stand a chance. You think you can win! Well listen here, you filthy Ooman bitch! You are 'nothing' compared to me! Your companion is nothing compared to me. Your father is nothing comp--"

"FUCK YOU!" Anthea bull rushed Tal'lik, launching a series of attacks that had the veteran off balance and without sheer footing. Tal'lik managed to swat away her staff, taking it from her hands. But she went into a spin, braced her hands underneath her and twirled around in a series of kicks, catching him in the back of the knee, in the groin, and in the kidneys, lastly in the chin before flipping upright. As Tal'lik dropped to one knee, she grabbed him by his uneven locks and forcefully drove her knee into his mask. She extended her wrist blades and Tal'lik went to lash at her once more, but she grabbed him by the throat and she raised him to his feet. "Who's the Lou-dte Kalei now? You pathetic excuse for a Yautja!" She reared her arm back, preparing to strike him down but she halted.

"Do it!" He taunted. "Strike me down. Do it!"

"Your bad blood is not worthy enough for the honor of my blades into your heart." And she dropped him back to his knees and turned away. Tal'lik jumped to his feet and prepared to strike at her vulnerable spine.

"ANTHEA!" Kro'nha screamed in despair, but before his cry died, Anthea quickly turned and drove her blades deep into this haunting bad blood's tainted heart and then released him off the fall. Tal'lik's body fell limp one hundred and fifty feet and crashed into the wake at the bottom of the falls.


End file.
